CLIMATE activists will gather outside a Barclays branch in the city centre to protest against links they claim the bank has to "environmental injustice".

Members of Extinction Rebellion York will gather today (November 14) at 12pm to protest outside Barclays, in Parliament Street, claiming the bank "funds forest destruction".

Activists will encourage the public to switch banks and hand out leaflets to advise Barclays customers.

Laura, of Extinction Rebellion, said: "Any way you look at it, Barclays is the number one worst bank for environmental destruction.

"Barclays funds new oil and gas projects, which is the last thing we need as we try to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stop relying on fossil fuels.

"If you bank with Barclays and you care about the environment, then change your bank."

A Barclays spokesperson said: "We are determined to play our part in addressing the urgent and complex challenge of climate change.

"In March 2020 we were one of the first banks to set an ambition to become net zero by 2050, across all of our direct and indirect emissions, and we committed to align all of our financing activities with the goals and timelines of the Paris Agreement.

"We have a three-part strategy to turn that ambition into action: achieving net zero operations, reducing our financed emissions, and financing the transition.

"We have set 2030 targets to reduce our financed emissions in four of the highest emitting sectors in our financing portfolio, with additional 2025 targets for the two highest-emitting sectors – energy and power.

"We have also provided over £80bn of green financing and we are investing our own capital – £175 million – into innovative, green start-ups.”

The activists say that Barclays also invests in the Drax power station, which they say is the "biggest wood-burning power station in the world".

The Press have contacted Drax for comment.

The group previously staged a protest outside the bank over their links to Drax last month (October 21).